Narcissistic Cannibal
by holdinghisheart
Summary: 'If we can't beat him in the battlefield with a sword pierced through his heart, we will make the boy love a girl who will be the death of him.' She was a beauty that even the honorable Robb Stark couldn't resist. It was a trap, she was supposed to be the death of him, instead fate cross-fired and she fell a victim to the wolf. Robb/OC
1. Cage

******First of all, _yes_, my character is based on Reign's Mary. She is just so beautiful and I believe that she and Robb would be pretty _awesome_. Okay, a little info; so I totally made up house Tenshi, and everything including them, they are totally my imagination. Mary is fifteen years old, and I plan to make Robb seventeen. Ehm, I'm not quite sure about this story though, this idea just popped into my mind and a day later, I had this chapter on my computer. So reviews would be lovely, and tell me what you think of this story idea :)**

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She was swirling through the room, her eyes closed and a big smile playing on her face. Her arms were struck out and her stomach was filled with happiness as she danced across the floor. The joyful music that the smiling people played on their lutes created such a magical hymn over every man, women or child who had attended the feast. As Mary closed her hazy green eyes, she focused on the laughter and the happy shouts that came from those around her. She had for the first time really felt connected with her homeland, The Raym. It was a good land, she knew that, and she was proud to be a part of it in a time like this. She had always dreamt of travelling to King's Landing, or maybe even the North, but here was where she truly belonged - with laughing and infinite people. She was dizzy due to all of the swaying she had kept up, but the way everything seemed to dance around her only made her giddier and she giggled at the way she almost tripped on her long dress. She was warm and she could feel herself softly panting regardless of the thin silk dress she was wearing that night. Before she knew it, someone's cold hand made their way into hers and she was swirled around and only moments after that hand swirled her around again. It was a partner dance, one of those that Mary loved. Any man, woman or child could join. No one was left out because of their looks or their titles. This dance was for all who belonged. She still had her eyes closed so she had no idea of who she danced with or who not, she only concentrated on the music and moving her body. It felt as she was swirled around at least a hundred times, and she didn't mind at all. The beautiful song ended all too soon and it wasn't before she heard her father's loud laughter echoing through the large room that she coped with the fact.

It was troubling to open her eyes, and when she did she had to close them quickly again. Everything was blurry and seemed to move around. She supposed that she should have felt nausea but that feeling was replaced by joy once again. Her green eyes opened and her vision was once again sharp as she saw that everyone previously dancing had quickly crept into their honorable places again by their tables or just talking with one another. Still, the echoing laughter of the man she trusted more than anything never departed and she turned her head and smiled up at her father who was sitting in his seat above everyone. His dark hair was shoulder-length and had a shaggy look of it, matching his beard which had grown awfully long. He had a long face and brown eyes hardened by war. He wore a light smile as he looked at his oldest daughter, and Mary could see that he was proud of her. She had always been close to her father as a little girl but nowadays she almost never saw him.

Because of the clash of the five kings who were fighting for the Iron Throne, her father had been riding into battle for the Lannisters - because of their sworn loyalty to the one and true king, Joffrey Baratheon. The Tenshis had also been fighting for the Lannisters as their oath was spoken and couldn't be broken without pain and death. Mary understood what her father had to do and that he stood accountable for his uttered words of promises; but she was still a girl of ten and five who missed her father most dearly and wanted him to be tucked safely and soundly within the thick castle walls of The Raym where no stags, krakens or wolves could hurt him. Four moons ago her father had travelled towards King's Landing where he had spoken with Tywin Lannister, her father's close friend and Mary's liege Lord, he was also the man she had heard stories of since she was a little girl. Her father had returned after only a week into the visit to the battlefield and fought with both stags and krakens and Mary knew that he had won because the Gods were on his side. Mary had stayed up most nights, praying for her father's safe return. She also prayed that he wouldn't stumble upon the King of the North and his large beast who she had heard horrifying stories of. But returned her father had, and her mother had arranged a feast in his honor as well as that of his brave men.

Remembering her mother, Mary slowly looked at her lady mother who sat beside her father with a tight smile on her beautiful heart-shaped face. Her long dark hair, so much like Mary's, was delicately pinned up in a southern style with two braids tucked together in the back of her head and two long strands of dark hair hanging down on either side of her shoulders. She wasn't looking at Mary with the proud willfulness that her lord father was; but with a silent frown on her thin lips that was telling her to be a lady and sit down on her chair without dancing like that in front of everyone important watching. Her mother wore a beautiful blue dress with the Tenshi's sigil showing on her dress in a darker blue - a beautiful bird flying with its wings spread out as if to escape the world and its nightmares. It was indeed a beautiful sigil which presented house Tenshi in the most pretty of ways. 'Above the dark', was their motto and Mary almost wanted to laugh in humour as she watched her mother give her a strict look - thinking to herself that her mother was more like a stubborn bull than a free, willful bird.

She watched as her father raised his hands up into the air towards her as he silently motioned for her to come up to him, his chest still moving with the force of his chuckles. She obeyed with a light smile, quickly dusting her light-blue dress off as if to smooth away the wrinkles that she had created while dancing. She walked with easy steps; careful to smile to everyone she passed in a friendly greeting. She tried to keep her hair at bay but failed strongly as it were now a mess of tangled knots and torn ribbons. When she had mounted the small steps up to the where her family was seated - as well as her own chair that she hadn't spent more than a couple of minutes on - she smiled brightly at her father, showing all her teeth in the process.

''Father,'' Mary greeted lightly as she stood before him, only smiling brighter when her father's warm hands took her own.

''Mary, my beautiful daughter,'' Marken Tenshi smiled. ''It brings me such happiness when I see you dancing.''

Mary's dark eyebrows raised in a questing manner, a smirk playing on her lips. ''Is that so? I who thought that you once said I was clumsy?''

''After swirling that many times in that big dress it's a miracle that you can even stand on your feet, my dear.'' Her father laughed, his dark hair falling into his brown eyes. ''I guess it's true; you women truly are a wonder to the world.''

Mary laughed, as well as any other person who over-heard Marken Tenshi's conversation with his young daughter. Her father had always had a good sense of humour, something her lady mother didn't appreciate nearly as much as Mary herself. But Mary knew that her mother and father hadn't married out of love but duty and alliance. Even though, she sometimes like to imagine that they loved each other, that they were a loving family. But her mother never looked at her father the way women in the shops and such looks at their husbands who they married by choice. Neither could Mary say that her father looked at her mother that way either, but he would sometimes try to make them look like such a family but quickly stopped when her mother frowned in disagreement.

Mary was pulled from her thoughts as she felt a small tug on her dress, making her look down with a smile as she quickly understood exactly who it was. As she looked down, she was met by a pair of big brown eyes and the most innocent little frown she had ever seen. Mary looked at her younger sister who had only had her fifth nameday during the last moon. Her brown hair was nowhere near as long as Mary and their mother's, a fact she knew her younger sister hated more than anything. Her sister was a beauty with a rounder head, there was no doubt about it. Even though, Mary knew that Lara envied her above everyone she had ever met. Even the beauty of Queen Cersei didn't matter to that stubborn little thing. She kneeled down to her sister's short level and softly traced her fingers through her hair. Lara tilted her head slightly to the side and looked at Mary curiously with a tired smile on her rosy lips.

''Tired, sweet?'' Mary asked as she saw her sister's brown eyes almost closing. She noticed that her mother had done a well job in dressing Lara beautifully for the feast, and she felt pity for her sister that she had to go in such tight dresses at such young age. She herself remembered what a torment it was. Mary guessed it had become easier in time to look and act like a doll.

''Mmmh,'' Lara mumbled through half-closed eyes. ''A little.''

''I think it's time for you to go to bed.'' Mary smiled, her eyes travelling to her mother and father. ''Am I allowed to take her?''

''I think it's for the best.'' Marken announced. ''I think she has already begun to fall asleep, the poor thing.''

Mary nodded before picking up her sister who felt almost as light as a feather in her hands, making her wonder exactly how much food her sister had eaten over the years. She was far too light for a little girl of five namedays. As she turned to retire for tonight she heard her mother spit out her name, making her freeze in her movements. She turned around again to see her mother already coming towards her, the blue dress trailing behind beautifully. Her mother's green eyes bore into hers as she came closer, Lara safely tucked between them, fast sleep.

''I would like to speak with you after you take Lara to bed,'' Her mother announced as she gently traced her fingers through Lara's short brown hair before her eyes caught Mary's again. ''Come to the garden before you go to your own chamber.'' Her mother then smiled shortly, ''Will you, beautiful?''

Mary hesitated for a second, unspoken questions traveling through her mind. But then her mother's green eyes hardened just the slightest and she nodded her head with a small, forced smile on her lips. ''Of course, mother.''

When her mother nodded and returned to her father to sit down beside him once again, Mary got the cue and turned around too. She walked with quick steps out from the room of the feast and into the stone-hall. The music from the feast was muffled by the thick door and she was somehow grateful that the only sounds were the wind outside, her footsteps echoing through the halls and her sister's steady breathing against her neck. It didn't take long before they arrived at Lara's chamber, too quick for Mary's liking. She gently assured the grip she had on her sister's small frame before gently, and as quietly as she could master, opened the wood-door to the chamber, cringing when the familiar crack was heard and she felt her sister twitch as she woke up. As she walked into the room she looked around her sister's small chamber, smiling at the mess the younger girl had made with her namedays gifts that were splayed all over the floor.

She walked to the bed and carefully laid Lara down upon the silks. She watched Lara's brown eyes open and as they caught Mary's green ones and a small smile was born on her face. Mary returned the innocent favor and she took the purple silk-sheet and tucked Lara down under it. Purple, Mary smiled as she fiddled with the colored silk. It had always been her sister's favorite color and she doubted that she would ever change her mind. She was almost as stubborn as their lady mother, almost.

''Will you stay with me tonight?'' Lara asked into the dark room, her brown eyes shining in the darkness. Lara always had awful nightmares and she always said herself that she had never dreamt a scary dream when Mary slept beside her. Mary couldn't deny that own her nightmares always seemed to go away when her Lara's smaller hand was safely intertwined with her own. She wanted nothing more than to accept her sister's offer, but her mother's request still played on her mind and she knew that she wouldn't want to meet her mother's fury, which was what would happen if she didn't do as she was told.

''I think I will have to sleep in my own chamber tonight, sweet.'' She smiled sadly, her heart hurting as she watched the hope in Lara's brown eyes fade.

''You told me so the night before also,'' Lara pouted sadly.

It was true, the day before Mary had cried herself to sleep in her own chamber because her father was at war, and she didn't want Lara to see her like that.

''I had a dream yesterday,'' she continued. ''I couldn't sleep after that.''

''I'm sorry,'' Mary said sadly. ''What did you dream of?''

''There was a pair of yellow eyes in the dark looking at you,'' Lara said quietly.

Mary's eyes widened. ''Me?''

''Yes, you. They followed you everywhere and then you noticed and I screamed at you to not go to it, but you did anyway and then…'' Lara said with tears streaming down her small cheeks. Mary frowned as she carefully sat down on the bed and captured her in a tight hug as she combed her fingers through her short hair. ''…then he ate you.''

''It was only but a dream, little sister.'' Mary said lightly. ''You should not think about it too much. I'm here aren't I?'' When she saw Lara looking doubtful she raised her eyebrows in playfulness. ''You know me; I always listen to you, don't I? And you know that I'm smarter than walking towards something frightening. I would probably run away as I screamed, not looking back once.'' Mary laughed, jokingly dotting her sister's nose as she chuckled. ''You're forgetting that you're dreaming about the girl who ran away crying when she saw a spider last week.''

''You're right.'' Lara laughed lightly, her innocent, small voice in a joking tone. ''It was a scary spider though.''

Mary smiled as she lighted the candle that stood on the nightstand by her sister's bed. She looked at her sister as she held the burning stick in her hand. ''Indeed it was.'' She kissed her sister lightly on the chin. ''But it was you who picked it up and ran after me with it.''

Lara chuckled innocently. ''It was as cute as it was scary,'' she shrugged.

''Only you, Lara Tenshi, can be as sweet as you are annoying.''

Mary laughed lightly, but she could hear that her sister was beginning to get tired again, therefore telling Mary that she should be going now. ''Is there something more you want to talk about before I leave?''

She watched as Lara thought about it, her face turned into a serious expression. ''Could you get Ser Wyllam? He's in the cabinet.''

Mary only nodded before she stood up and made her way to the cabinet before opening and immediately catching sight of the little purple dove which Mary herself had stitched for her sister's fifth name day. She hadn't expected her sister to get be so happy and become so attached to the small bird, but she had even begun crying as she gave it to her. After that, she was never seen without it. Their mother though had forced her to leave it in the cabinet as it wasn't suitable to take with her to their father's feast. Mary took the soft dove into her hands, looking down at it with a small smile playing on her lips. Her thumbs lightly traced the engraved words that she had stitched into the right wing:

''_Do not be afraid, my sweet sister. I'm always here_.''

The memory of Lara naming the dove 'Ser Wyllam' made her chuckle to herself and also got her sister's attention.

''Mary, bring him here. He has to sleep.''

Mary walked back to the bed once again, this time not sitting down. Lara's arms were already stretched out in a desperate way to get Ser Wyllam and she made a cute noise when Mary finally let her take him.

''I was so angry at mother when she said that Ser Wyllam couldn't attend the feast,'' She said stubbornly as she inspected him like the cabinet had somehow hurt him. She was so unbelievably cute and innocent that Mary wanted to laugh. Lara's brown eyes showed fury as she talked of their mother. ''She told me that ladies don't play with toys and that this was an important feast but Ser Wyllam is important to me too!''

Mary tried to do anything not to laugh but it was too hard as she watched Lara being adorably angry. ''I'm sure that Ser Wyllam didn't mind. He wouldn't have thought that it was that funny either way. I believe that he had a greater time in the cabinet.''

''You're right,'' Lara said with a sigh. ''Next time though, I will ask mother if I too can stay in the cabinet with Ser Wyllam; so he's not alone.''

This time though, Mary couldn't stop the light chuckle that escaped her mouth. The image of innocent Lara sitting alone in a dark, cold cabinet with Ser Wyllam all alone made her giggly. She soon shook it away and looked at her sister's humored face through the light cast by the burning candle. She took her hand and intertwined them again. Mary then gently placed a light kiss on her sister's forehead and turned around. ''Do you want me to blow out the candle?''

Lara had closed her brown eyes and Mary could see that she was at the brink of sleep, Ser Wyllam safely tucked in her small arms.

''No,'' she mumbled tiredly. ''You may change your mind, I don't want you to trip in the dark then.''

''Fine then,'' Mary smiled. ''I love you, sleep soundly.''

''I love you too.'' Lara whispered drowsily, her voice thick with sleep.

She stood by the door and watched her little sister until she could hear her heavy breathing that told the dark-haired girl that her sister had fallen asleep. Mary stood there until she didn't have any more excuses to not go to the garden and speak with her mother on a matter she didn't know. Questions were burning through her mind and she wanted nothing more than to know what her mother was so desperate to talk with her about. Mary and her mother almost never spoke about matters except for the ordinary ''How was your day?'' and sometimes about Lara. But the way her mother's green eyes had bored into hers so intensely had her curious and frightened at the same time. The walk to the garden didn't take long enough for her liking, even though she had tried to take as small and slow steps she possibly could without looking too obvious. But without her consent, she had arrived to the green garden. A wind breezed through the air and hit her frigid skin, making coldness creep into her veins. Her hair swayed in the dark and she swallowed thickly as her eyes caught a vision of a dark silhouette by the bench that stood in the middle of the white roses. She got the huge urge to just turn around and run into her chamber again, and then tell her mother in the morning that she forgot about their meeting. But then she saw the dark, slender silhouette turn to face her, and Mary tightened her hands and began moving towards her mother without thinking about anything else.

Her lady mother looked as beautiful and grim as she had at the feast, but there was a new glimpse in her green eyes; almost like a secret that only she knew. Mary didn't bother to smile as she stood before her mother in the darkness but quickly nodded her head in greeting. Mary's stomach clenched strangely as she watched her mother smile warmly at her, before sitting down on the white bench and motioning for her to do the same; which she did, of course. Mary didn't know if it was the cold or her mother's chilling look that made her uncomfortably twitch on the bench, but she had a good guess that it had something to do with the woman sitting beside her. Mary couldn't say that she and her mother didn't like each other, but it had always been something unspoken and cold between them. Her lady mother, Ilana Tenshi, was nothing like her lord father. It was strict, useful and tight smiles with her, not warmth, laughs and lovely hugs as it was with her father. That was why she jumped in surprise as she felt her mother's hand take her own in a light caress. Her green eyes widened and met her mother's - whose were exactly the same color - but there was no surprised or even grim look there, only a sincere smile on her thin rosy lips.

''Daughter,'' she said, her voice strangely glad.

''Mother,'' Mary greeted back with a questioning tone, trying to fight the urge to retract her hand from the grip. She quietly wondered if her mother felt as awkward and clueless as she.

''It is unbelievable that you have turned into this beautiful young woman before me; the thought that you were once the little screaming child that I brought into this world is too strange.'' Ilana said, her eyes twinkling as if she didn't even want to think about it. Mary furrowed her eyebrows as she watched the way her mother quickly shook her head as if the idea was too strange. She felt her mother squeeze her hand, which had begun to get too warm to still be linked, but her mother didn't seem to mind as she picked up a white rose which had beautifully blossomed - with her free hand.

Mary quietly watched as her mother began sadly humming a hymn that only made her more uncomfortable by this sudden change in behavior.

''Mother?'' She finally said when she couldn't take the tension anymore. ''What is this all about?''

Her mother dragged her green eyes from the rose and looked at her, a frown settling on her beautiful face. ''What do you know about this war, Mary?''

Mary's dark eyebrows furrowed. ''This war?''

''As in; who do you think will win this war?''

Mary went quite for a while. ''I thought that-'' she stuttered but closed her mouth and tried again. ''I thought that Joffrey Baratheon was winning the war. He is the only true born King.''

''There have been awful, poisons lies being spread, my dear child. Rumors started by those usurpers, those disgusting wolves and stags.'' Mary could see that her mother took a tight grip on the rose in her hand, an angry frown marring her features once again. Her face turned slightly red.

''Could I ask what rumors they are spreading?''

''They say that Tywin Lannister's son and daughter is intimate, that Joffrey Baratheon is Jaime Lannister's son instead of Robert's.'' Mary looked down at knees as she processed the news. She looked up once again as she heard her mother laugh almost madly. ''But those are disgusting lies that are completely made up. Tywin Lannister would never accept his children to do so. _Never_.'' Mary looked up at her mother in confusion as she spoke of the elder Lannister like he was some kind of God to her. Mary had never felt herself actually looking down on her mother before that moment.

''What does this have with me to do, mother?'' She said tightly. ''I don't see the reas-''

''It has everything to do with you, Mary!'' Her mother said sharply, her long nails digging into Mary's pale skin and she was sure that the action would create a bruise for everyone to see the next day. ''Your father did more than play with a sword the months he was gone. He also spoke with Tywin Lannister about important matters, including you.''

Mary's body went cold as a sick feeling unfurled in her stomach. She wanted to run away from her mother and her unforgiving grip, but it was like she was frozen to the core and was too numb to even think straight. Her mother's green eyes were still boring into hers and she wondered if she looked as angry and carefree as her mother did with those eyes; she wondered how people could even call her beautiful if she had such cold eyes. Finally she could hear herself speaking in a voice, barely above a whisper, her voice shaking with fright for the answer.

''What about me?''

''The Young Wolf is on the move and is sneakily hiding, waiting until he can attack. The wisest of his actions would be to attack us, and we know that he will soon because of your father's return. The boy is not stupid, and he is blood thirsty for revenge because of his traitor father and if he takes over The Raym and makes himself our King, he will have the biggest advantage he could possibly get against King's Landing. It would be a very smart move. But what the boy King doesn't know is that we have you, my dear child.''

When Ilana saw that Mary seemed to be elsewhere as she watched the grass with ghosted eyes, not blinking or making any motion of any kind, she continued.

''When the Young Wolf attacks us, we will let him take The Raym without much of a struggle, and we will make it seem as though he has won the battle. We will greet him like we would accept him and his filthy wolves as one of our own and we will call him by the title he wants. After that we will set up a feast in the boy's honor and that is when you come into the picture,'' Ilana smiled dangerously, a crazed spark in her green eyes. ''You will be dressed in the finest of dresses and you will seduce the wolf with what the Gods blessed you with and what every man craves - your youthful body and beauty. It is no lie that we cannot defeat the boy with swords and if we cannot beat him in the battlefield with a sword pierced through his heart, we will make the boy love a girl who will be the death of him.''

Mary felt dizzy and she could see small lights burst in front of her eyes which was when she realized that she was about to faint from the lack of air and her dress which had never felt tighter against her slender form. She couldn't breathe at all and was sure that she would fall upon the green grass without another thought. But then she felt the cold squeeze of her mother's hand again and was struck back into reality. She blinked a couple of times before her green eyes settled on her mother, praying to the Gods to make her mother laugh and tell her that it was only a sick joke.

''I can't-'' She tried with a strangled voice.

''You can, and you will.'' Illana assured with a hard look. ''If Robb Stark is anything like his father his honour will probably keep him from fucking you even if you would attend naked to the feast - that's why you have to take his heart first. If Robb Stark marries you, he will surely be destroyed and abandoned by any alliance he may have with any house. He is betrothed with one of Lord Frey's daughters, but Tywin Lannister has spoken with Walder Frey and with as much gold as the old, grim man wanted, he finally swore his loyalty to house Lannister and agreed with the terms that he would be willing to kill the Starks and spare your life as a price for your loyalty. And let's not forget that you'll be helping Joffrey Baratheon win this war, finally. If the boy King is gone, the rebellion will fade with him.''

Everything somehow seemed to sway around her again, and this time she wasn't as happy as she had been when she was dancing, but this time she felt as though she would empty her stomach all over her mother's beautiful gown. Her family. Her own family had made plans for her to seduce Robb Stark, The Young Wolf and The King in the North, to win the war. They wanted her to capture his love, they wanted her to give her body to a boy she had never met and only heard battle stories of - and then kill him? Mary wasn't sure if she had actually stayed with Lara and fallen asleep and was now having one of her usual nightmares, only ten time worse. It must be so because this madnesscould not be reality. She wanted to laugh and cry at the same time.

She hadn't even noticed that tears had begun leaking down her cheeks before she felt her mother's cold hands brushing them away. She wanted to slap her away, but he was still frozen to the bench. Her mother tucked the dark strands of hair falling around her face behind her ears and smiled slightly. ''It is what needs to be done for this family, Mary.''

Anger burst through her whole body and made her so tense and hot that she felt like she would explode if her mother's hands touched her for a second longer. So without anything else she shot up from the bench faster than she herself could register, her knees quaking and her head spinning dangerously. Her face was twisted in disbelief and anger and the tears never seemed to stop. She was cold, so cold. Colder than she had ever been before and she doubted that she ever would be colder.

''How can you and father-'' she begun but stopped when the fury inside of her didn't let her finish her sentence. She tried to talk calmly, but had too many things to utter and too many accusations and insults to spit at her mother. She didn't care about her own daughter other than to sell her. No, even worse than to sell - than to make a whore and a murderer of her to a boy she had never even laid eyes upon. Finally her fists clenched at her sides and she opened her mind again to raise her voice like never before.

''How can my own mother and father decide such a horrible and horrifying faith for their own _daughter's_ future!?'' She bellowed in between broken sobs. ''I can't even believe that my own parents could have even thought of those words before this day! Am I supposed to marry this wolf, give him my maidenhead and then watch as Lord Frey _kills_ him right before my eyes? Then what? Will you kill me like you plan to kill Robb Stark?''

''That is ridiculous, Mary.'' Ilana said, watching her daughter carefully and without blinking. She seemed to completely ignore the fact that her own daughter was crying before her. ''We would never kill you, my dear child. What we ask of you is only to make the boy King fall in love with you, let him fuck you and then marry him on his accord - whether that is before the old Gods or something ridiculous like that. Then you will only have to play your part as the ''Queen in the North'', spread your legs for Robb Stark whenever he asks and then one day he will be gone, and you will be free. You will be a saviour in Westeros and lighten our house by far. And who knows? You may even be awarded for your service.''

Mary looked at her mother in disbelief from where she was standing. For the first time - doing what she thought was impossible for a daughter to do to a mother – Mary hated the older woman with everything in her. ''How can you even speak of this like it is normal? How can you command of me to do this when you can't even pretend to love father for a day despite being married for ten and five years?''

Her mother's green eyes hardened. ''If you can't pretend to love the Young Wolf, then don't. Robb Stark is a man, which means that he takes whatever he wants. All you have to do is show off your breasts and dance that ridiculous little dance of yours and then he will do as he pleases.''

''How can I even be sure that father agreed to this madness?'' Mary tried as another tear made its way out from her eye. ''How can I be sure that this is not something only you want?''

Her mother stood up quickly, her green eyes narrowed dangerously with strong fury. ''Young lady, I would recommend that you to think before you open that mouth of yours.'' She walked closer, so close that Mary was surrounded by the familiar scent of her mother which only made her want to suffocate. ''I will only say this one more time, and I would recommend that you listen. This is not a choice, Mary. This is what has to happen if we want Joffrey Baratheon to win this war, and we do want that, more than anything. Tywin Lannister is our liege lord and he desperately needs this boy dead and gone. So, because we have you, a beautiful daughter who is almost the same age as the boy King, we will make this sacrifice for our people, for everything we have always stood for,'' her mother searched for something in Mary's face. ''And for Lara's life and future.''

When Ilana saw a flick of emotion and defeat on Mary's beautiful face she smiled inside, knowing that she had won by talking of Lara. She gently brushed a lock of brown hair which had once again escaped from its position behind Mary's ear and set it straight again.

''You know that the Young Wolf would kill everyone in The Raym if we wouldn't surrender. Our people: your father, me, yourself and even little, innocent Lara. He has killed thousands of innocent children exactly like her before, he wouldn't think twice before killing her as any other.'' She smiled slightly as she saw Mary close her eyes in pain. ''Do you really want such a boy to run around in Westeros? Is that the King you want on the Iron Throne?''

Mary shook her head in defeat, her heart aching as the images of Lara lying dead in the flowers, a large direwolf eating her corpse played through her mind. No. No. No. She would do anything to save Lara's life. She opened her green eyes, more tears running down her cheeks in the process. Her mother watched her with her face set in an emotionless mask.

''I will do it.''

For the first time in Mary's whole life, her mother looked proud of her.

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**Don't forget to review (: **

**Until next time - _holdinghisheart_**


	2. Wolves

**Hello everybody (: I am _so _sorry for taking such a long time to update. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so lovingly! :D It seriously makes me write faster, I promise. Salvatoresister887 asked me to make a video for this pairing, and SURPISE, I actually have :D Or not really _this _pairing, but I have made a Mary/Robb crossover video! I made it mostly to see how they looked together, and if you want to inspect the unbelievable perfection of those two _amazing_ faces - you can go into my profile where I have linked my youtube account :) I have actually started to work on a video for _this _pairing also. Now, I will shut up so you can go on with the story :D**

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She woke up with a sharp inhale through her clenched teeth and her body and hair dampened by sweat. It wasn't before she forced herself to breathe in slow breaths and calm down that the gravity of her situation hit her with full force. The things that she had agreed to were painful and horribly wrong. If she did it, she was sure that the Gods would turn their backs on her, to let her burn in pain for pretending to be something she isn't and even killing thousands of men while doing it. But then her happy, innocent younger sister came into her mind and she felt a chill in the air. Lara was the sweetest girl in Westeros, Mary was sure. And thinking of her lifeless left Mary feeling dead inside. She would do anything to save Lara's life, even if she herself had to go through the worst thing possible. She and Lara were sisters by blood, and she would never let anyone hurt her.

It was in the middle of the night, she saw as she looked at the small window in her chamber. Her heart pounded faster than normal and she released an unstable breath as she looked around her chamber. Through the darkness that was covering the room, she could see the moon that stood high upon the black sky outside her window. The small lighting made her chamber look haunted, and her breathing grew shallow in the darkness, cold air coming out from her mouth.

She could hear thunder and rain outside, creating a sick feeling in her stomach. She felt like she should tuck herself down in her white sheets and settle for sleep once again, but it somehow felt impossible and useless. There was something that was creeping inside of her stomach and she was so cold that she was shaking. She tried to find that warmth she felt only moments before, she tried to find the tiredness again, but she knew that something was wrong, and the feeling left her unsettled. That's when she understood that she hadn't just woken up because of nothing, but because she heard something that woke her from her deep slumber.

And that's when a strong, cold shiver went through her body so fast and forceful that her whole body shook like a rag doll. Only moments later, maybe even only seconds; was when she heard it again, this time wide awake and alert.

Blood curdling screams.

The wind, thunder and rain that were once loud and frightening against her ears was nothing compared to this voice that sounded so much in panic and pain that it left her numb and afraid at the same time. It wasn't before another voice she actually recognized as one of her father's closest banner-men cried out that her green eyes snapped back to reality and she looked around her chamber in panic, her face twisted in trepidation and fright.

The wolves.

Mary threw the blankets who once made her feel warm and safe away so fast that it looked like they had burned her. The cold stone floor was freezing under her bare feet and made her colder if that was even possible at this moment. Her green eyes found the vision of her window and she looked at it like it was an enemy. She stopped only a moment, wondering what sight she would meet when she looked down. Would it be her father who stood there, a big smile on his face as he announced to everyone that the wolves were dead? She twisted her hand in her night-dress as she felt her throat hurting from the force of holding back her tears.

She carefully and slowly made her way to the window, her heart beating faster for every step she came closer. When her fingertips touched the freezing stone-wall, she closed her eyes and breathed in and out. After a prayer for her father's victory she slowly looked out from the window. She could barely see through the pouring rain, but as she squinted her eyes she saw men fighting, horses falling down onto the ground and men falling down with swords and arrows sticking into them as well. Blood was mixing with the rain and flowing down like waterfalls of death. It sounded almost like a song when the steel was clashing together, the men shouting and the horse's neighing. It wasn't one of those songs that had Mary's heart swell with happiness and youth. No, it was the song of death, it was the song of losing everything she loved.

Mary closed her green eyes after seeing one of her father's closest guards getting an axe buried in his stomach. She remembered him well, he used to tell her stories that made her laugh at the feasts her father used to set up. He was a good man, and now he was nothing but a cold, lifeless corpse that the enemy stepped on in order to kill more good men like him. She closed her eyes and tried to tell herself that this wasn't happening.

Behind her closed eyes, there was darkness, black and nothing. But then above everything, she heard something that made her open her eyes and look outside the window again. Her father, who had only hours before laughed and joked with her - was now bloody and bruised, dragged like nothing by two men clothed in armor. He looked defeated, Mary inspected from her window, completely done. Never had Mary ever seen her father looking so… weak. There was blood running down from his nose and a wound that covered a small part of his forehead.

That's when Mary understood.

Her father was so much better than this. He was one of the greatest warriors in Westeros. He would never had laid down like that and let the wolves beat him bloody. Her mother was right no matter how much Mary tried to tell herself otherwise. This was all an act. They would give up The Raym to the Young Wolf and then they would throw her to him. Even her kind-hearted father had agreed to that. Mary had told herself that she would speak with her father when the sun rose again this morning, that she would hear her father say that her mother only spoke lies and that he would never bring her that fate. But he had, he and Tywin Lannister had all planned this.

Even so, she couldn't help but whimper as the wolves threw her father down on the ground harshly, making her father wince in pain. A tall, dark man made his way towards her father with a bloodied sword safely tucked in his hand and she watched in both amazement and fright as one of the biggest animals she had ever laid her green eyes on travelled hauntingly behind the tall man with dangerous steps. The beast was nearly as tall as the man himself and she saw the way her father's brown eyes travelled towards the man and the beast in a frightened way that she knew wasn't an act.

Her father began speaking with the man, obviously the man didn't like what her father said because she heard a cold, grizzly growl coming from the beast, only making her father speak louder and quicker with a higher voice. She swallowed thickly as she watched what she now understood was Robb Stark's hands make their way into the large beast's grey-dark fur. It seemed like he petted it as he thought about something her father said, making Mary watch in wonder.

It seemed to take forever before the tall man turned around towards his banner-men, his clear shout sounding over the loud rain.

''The Raym is ours!'' The King in the North bellowed.

The cheers and screams of victory echoed through her head and she was sure that it reached miles away. She didn't feel cold anymore, she didn't feel fear; she was completely numb. She braced herself against the window, her breathing heavy as she watched the men cheering. Her green eyes were concentrating on one thing and one thing alone. She watched from above as the well-known Robb Stark talked with a black-haired man, before clapping him on the back and making his way down the lines of cheering banner-men, being careful to speak with everyone.

She stood there inspecting this wolf longer than she thought, and her mind didn't tell her that she in fact had before she watched him turn his body around and his eyes slowly travelled upwards to her chamber and before she knew it; his blue eyes were settled on her and she was sure that her heart stopped beating in that moment.

Panic gripped her like a storm and her eyes widened as she gasped loudly. Her knees gave out and she fell onto the cold floor with a loud, painful thud. She looked around her room with wild eyes, wondering if that just happened or if she just dreamed it all. It was known that Robb Stark was supposed to be tall and handsome, but there were no rumors that told her that he would be like that. When her mother told her to seduce the Young Wolf she didn't say that he would look like that. Robb Stark wouldn't even notice her, she knew that he must have had a lot of beautiful girls throwing themselves upon him, and she wouldn't be anything special to him.

But maybe that was for the best. If the Young Wolf didn't show any interest in her - she wouldn't have to do those horrible things everyone ordered her to do. Because it was true, Robb Stark was almost the same age as herself, maybe one or two name-days older than her, but he was young. As soon as she had seen him that was a visible fact. He did this for his father, even though Eddard Stark was a traitor.

Her father had told Mary that Robb Stark was as thirsty for glory as revenge and that he wanted the Iron Throne more than Joffrey Baratheon's head. He said that he is a boy who plays in the battlefield and likes the idea of commanding people and having a crown upon his head, Mary doesn't forget that because she remember thinking that her father would rather command people and have a crown upon his head than having Tywin Lannister ordering him things in his own home; The Raym - where his title is only ''M'lord''.

She could hear men making their way into the castle and she tensed when she knew that they were coming for her and Lara. She imagined little Lara sitting in her bed now, clutching Ser Wyllam tightly to her chest. Mary wondered if her younger sister was reading the hymn she had engraved into the small bird, she hoped she was. I'm going to save you, sister. There is no need to be afraid, Mary hummed to herself, trying to get the awful noises of men taking over the castle she has always seen as home.

What would become of The Raym now? What would the wolves do now when they had their castle? Now they owned the house that was closest to House Lannister, there was no lie that the Young Wolf was getting closer to winning this war with his victories in the battlefield. She remembered the songs they've written about Robb Stark. They said that he could turn into a wolf when he wants to, that he eats the flesh of his enemies and can't die. How is she supposed to seduce him when she is afraid of him? How is she supposed to defeat someone who can't be killed? There was no chance that this plot would work the slightest. Mary was Mary, and she couldn't be a beautiful mistress even if she tried her hardest.

Loud footsteps dragged her away from her thinking and she looked at her chamber-door in panic as she heard voices getting closer. She could hear gruff men saying something between; ''Get the daughters!'' and ''Where are the prick's children?'', only making her more frightened because of their cold voices. Her mind was rushing and without her consent began panicking, trying to find an escape somewhere. She bolted up from the floor, pacing around her chamber. ''I can't do this. I can't do this. I can't.'' Mary kept muttering to herself, and she was sure that she had lost her mind. Her body wasn't obeying her anymore and she felt completely lost. Just as quick as panic came to her, fury followed and she felt her body and face heating up when she thought of her awful mother and father.

The men's loud voices and footsteps had gotten closer and she turned around in alarm as she heard someone trying to push her door open, making the wooden door creak as if it was going to break by the force. She heard a dirty curse, and she crazily pushed her dark hair away from her eyes with her shaking, cold-sweaty hands.

''Open the door, girl. We won't hurt ya.''

_No. But if Robb Stark thinks I'm beautiful I will hurt you_, she thought quietly to herself. Her heart beating was faster than she thought possible and she quietly tip-toed to the fireplace and took up one of the steel-bars, holding the cold metal tightly in her hands.

''Suit yourself, girl.'' She could hear a voice snicker, and just a second later firm pushes were heard outside the door and Mary saw that the door couldn't take the forceful pushes much longer. She ran quietly to the door, knowing that she would be behind it when it opened. She watched with fright as the wooden door slowly began breaking, her heart pounding so fast that she was sure that everyone within a mile could hear.

Like she had predicted, the door soon gave out and with a sharp inhale from Mary - the door opened quickly. Mary pressed her back to the cold stone-wall, rolling her lips into her mouth and praying that her breathing wouldn't be heard to anyone. She watched quietly as men bolted into her chamber, stopping dead in their tracks when they noticed that she was nowhere to be seen.

She took a deep breath.

Lara.

_You're doing this for Lara._

Without another thought, she bolted out from behind the door, the steel-bar tightly in her hand before she raised it into the air and swung it at the man standing by the door with all the force she had left in her body. She watched as the dark-haired man crumbled over in pain and clutched his nose with his hands, screaming a curse. She didn't waste time though, and jumped over the man out to the hall and ran so fast her legs could carry her. She heard the banner-men yell things when they noticed what she had done. They were not far behind her as she ran down the cold corridors. Her breaths came out in short pants as she focused on one goal; getting to Lara.

She wanted to cry in happiness as she was about to round the corner to Lara's chamber, knowing that she would see her little sister's beautiful face within a few seconds. But just as she rounded the corner, she crashed into something so hard that she could see stars dancing in her vision. She stilled and was sure that she would fall to the floor because of her dizziness. Cold hands took a tight grip on her bare arms and she could distantly feel somebody shaking her harshly, making her come back to reality. The man before her was a tall man with black long hair that reached down his shoulders. His face was long and as pale as the moon above the sky, his eyes were the color of a crazed blue.

She could hear men running after her and they stopped immediately with short pants as they noticed that this man had a grip on her. Mary wasn't sure that this was actually happening and she blinked a couple of times, thinking that she maybe would still be back in her bed instead of being in this situation.

''So you just let this girl run around the castle?'' The pale man said, his voice rough, making an uncomfortable shiver creep down Mary's spine.

''She just came up from nowhere!'' A dark-haired man said with fury. ''That bitch hit me in the face with a bloody steel-bar,'' The man looked at her with an angry look and she was completely sure that this man wanted her dead. There was still dark blood running down his nose, and she wondered if she maybe had broken his nose.

''She is a girl,'' The pale man said and she felt like a rag doll as he shook her as if to prove his point how utterly useless she was. ''A girl of ten and five. What are you Greyjoy, a boy of six?''

The dark-haired man's lips grew thinner as his anger heated. His dark eyes went from the pale man to Mary, and she quickly diverted her green from his cold.

''Let's take her down to His Grace,'' The pale man sighed as he tightened his slender fingers around Mary's arm, making panic take a grip on her again.

''My sister,'' Mary spoke desperately, trying to awkwardly wiggle from the man's grip. ''My sister. I want to see her.''

''Your sister's presence is down in the Great Hall. You're the only one who's missing, Mary Tenshi.'' The pale man said, and as soon as he uttered the words she stilled, looking at the man with horrified eyes. He knew, she noticed as he shot her a quick cold smirk. After that she went numb in his arms and she let him drag her towards the room where they had luncheon.

It took far too quick for her liking to attend to the large room, she had been too lost in her thoughts that she didn't even understand that the pale man had let her go before someone came crashing into her, almost knocking her to the ground in the process. She numbly looked down and felt her heart swell when she saw Lara tightly clutching her leg, sobbing into her white night-gown. And for that moment she didn't care about where she was or who was watching. She could only see her frightened younger sister who had desperately missed her. She quickly knelt down and took a firm grip on her head, burying her fingers into her brown curls.

''Lara, sweet.'' She hummed, kissing away the tears that were leaking down her small cheeks. ''Please don't cry.''

Lara's brown eyes were drenched with tears as they locked with Mary's green. ''I'm scared,'' her younger sister sobbed. ''They took Ser Wyllam away from me.''

Any other time Mary would have wanted to laugh, but this time she was actually as sad about Lara losing Ser Wyllam as Lara herself.

''I will help you find Ser Wyllam after father speak with the King, okay?''

It wasn't before she uttered those words that she carefully looked up from her sister's nodding face - to see that every one of the banner-men, her parents, the frightened people and even the King in the North himself were indeed looking at her curiously. She gave Lara one last forced smile that told her that she spoke the truth before she rose stiffly from her knees, taking her sister's small hand and making her way to the left side of her mother so that the Tenshi family would be completed. As she arrived, she caught her mother's eyes, seeing her looking completely furious at her. Obviously her mother didn't like the way she had smashed one of the King's banner-men in the face with a steel-bar. But the last glimpse of eye she shot her daughter before turning them back at Robb Stark was clear - get his attention.

Mary thickly swallowed before turning her eyes at Robb Stark for the first time in the lightness of candles. He was standing before every one of them. His blue, icy eyes roaming over the castle he had made his and the people as well. The rebel king was tall, and well-built with a muscular frame that was clearly shown even though he had bulky grey armor covering mostly all of it. He was kissed by fire, beautiful auburn curls almost getting in his eyes and she wondered if everyone who's been kissed by fire looked as ridiculously handsome as this man.

His face was strict, tense as his blue eyes danced around his surroundings, and Mary's legs grew weak in the silence. Mary had heard stories of northern men, heard that they were frozen to the very core and didn't know what humor was even if it was to bite them in the arse. As Mary inspected the Young Wolf, she saw that he was stern and stiff right away, that he didn't take easily to those who betrayed him, and she nervously looked at her mother remembering what she had told her.

_I'm afraid of him_, she thought to herself. _I'm so afraid that I'm shaking like a little girl. I will never be able to speak with him_.

The silence was unbearable and Mary knew that everyone were waiting for the King to utter his words. He didn't seem to be in a hurry though, and he slowly petted the large direwolf who suddenly walked into the room like nothing to sit down beside his master. The big beast's yellow eyes quickly travelled towards Mary and the dark-haired girl thought that she may faint if she looked into those scary eyes even one second more. She quickly diverted her eyes from the beast's and looked down at her fiddling fingers. Suddenly Mary could hear a loud sigh coming from the rebel king and she looked up in confusion to see that he had finally made up his mind to talk, a shock wave running through her body as she saw that the King's blue eyes were boring into her green.

''I apologize for the bloodshed and scaring everyone of you this night, but as we all know it had to be done.'' He took a quick inhale, focusing his blue eyes on her father. ''The Raym is now the North's. You are free to move around the castle,'' he said. ''But I cannot permit you to leave the grounds and my men will see to the birds you try to send without our consent.'' The rebel king went quiet for some while. ''Any questions?''

There was only silence, but then Mary could hear something from her left and she saw the Young Wolf's blue eyes travelling to her side. As Mary did the same, she saw that Lara had shyly stretched up her small hand into the air and Mary widened her eyes.

''Yes, my lady?'' The Young Wolf asked, and Mary could have sworn that she saw a small smile making its way to his lips. ''Is that dog your pet?'' she asked quietly, looking at the direwolf beside Robb Stark in wonder. ''Is it nice?''

Mary couldn't help but let a faint smile come up to her lips, and she heard some people and banner-men chuckle quietly at the clueless little girl. Obviously her sister didn't really know exactly what situation they all were in. She didn't know that this man had taken over their castle and destroyed their lives. Mary watched in curiosity as Robb Stark chuckled, petting the direwolf's grey fur before his blue eyes flickered to her sister's.

''I wouldn't say that he's my pet, my lady. But he is kind to the people who returns the favor.'' Mary wondered exactly how Robb Stark could make it sound as light as threatening.

''I'm kind,'' Lara giggled, looking at Robb Stark before craning her head and looking at Mary. ''Aren't I, Mary? Tell him I'm kind.''

''You're very kind, sweet.'' Mary quietly said. She guessed she was more shy towards the Young Wolf than she believed because she toned down her voice to a whisper so he wouldn't hear her. She knew he was looking at her though, she felt as if his blue eyes were burning a hole inside of her. ''And do you know when you're the kindest? When you're quiet.'' Mary smiled, scooting Lara's giggling frame closer to her.

A pain went through her body, and she turned her head around to see her mother's green, hardened eyes were looking at her with such fury that it was almost comical. Be a lady, the cold green told her. He won't want a childish little girl but a woman. Mary diverted her eyes and looked away from her mother and instead inspected her fingers. The thought that her own mother pinched her made her sick to her stomach. Her own mother. How could it be? For a swift second she wondered if every mother was as horrible and careless as her own, or if it was only Ilana Tenshi who had such a heart.

Her mind drifted to a woman Mary had witnessed at her fifth name-day. The woman had cried by the shop with a baby in her caress. Her uncle, Neal Tenshi, had taken her out for a walk in the shops, telling her that she could buy whatever she wanted as a gift from him. She remembered how hungry the mother had looked and she had watched in curiosity behind her uncle's cloak as the neat mother had picked up a filthy bread piece that someone had abandoned on the ground. The dangerously slender woman had picked it up gently, as if it was some kind of gift sent by the Gods.

She had then taken such a small piece to herself and given her child that couldn't be older than two name-days everything else. Her uncle had then begun to gently tug at her hand and she had followed, her sad, green eyes still attached to the mother who had tears running down her bony cheeks as she watched her child eat the dirty bread. Mary remembered thinking that her mother would never do the same to her. This woman even how poor she was - still loved her child more than anything and would set his life above her own.

The saddest thing was that she had seen the bony woman four years later, but then she had no child in her arms. She had been dressed stupidly, according to Mary, and she was talking to a man who only moments later had begun tugging at her arms. The slender woman had followed him into a weird-looking house with a sad, lost, ghostly look. It wasn't before she had asked Septa Sandra about it, and the old woman had told her the truth - Mary understood exactly what had happened with this woman and her child, and she had cried herself to sleep that night.

She bolted back to reality when she heard her father speak and she turned her head to the side to see that her father's nose had indeed stopped bleeding, but there were dark bruises that had begun to form on his skin, and he didn't look fine. Even so, her strong father managed to give a stiff bow to King Robb and speak with a voice much lighter than the voice that Mary knew her father wanted to speak with.

''King Robb, The Young Wolf; Because of your mercy to all of us, we owe you a feast in your name.'' her father said. ''It would be an honor for all of us.''

She watched nervously as King Robb looked at her father intensely, his blue eyes showed Mary that he was still doubtful about this friendly behavior her father and mother was keeping up. _He is not stupid_, Mary thought to herself. _He may be young, but he knows when something is up, and dear father, your poor act is not fooling him_. But then King Robb's lips curled up into a small smile and he nodded his head.

''That would be an honor to none but me, Lord Tenshi.'' he spoke, and Mary swallowed shyly as King Robb's blue eyes drifted to her, and she swore that she would melt into the stone-floor the moment she caught his eyes. ''The offer would gladly be accepted. Me and my men would die for some ale and food.''

''Then let's get the ale and food in here,'' Ilana Tenshi smiled brightly and Mary felt like she would empty her stomach at her mother's act. This is what she wanted. She wanted Robb Stark to look at her, and she got what she wanted. ''If it's okay for Your Grace we would like to freshen up for this important celebration.''

''I think we all need to rest before the feast,'' Mary's father said. ''I would gladly offer Your Grace's brave men their chambers. His Grace though, will be given the best chamber.''

''It's appreciated once again, my lord.'' King Robb responded.

Mary watched as her father offered to show them to their chambers and she bit her bottom-lip when she watched Robb Stark nod to everything her father said. Mary looked down to see that Lara was still watching King Robb's direwolf with a curious look in her brown eyes. Before she knew it she heard footsteps approaching her because of the loud thuds the boots were creating against the stones. She looked up in alarm to see her mother standing there with a smile, King Robb and the dark-haired man she had hit with the steel-bar with - approaching behind her, making her heart beat faster against her chest.

''Mary, daughter.'' She smiled and Mary wanted to hit her mother as her green eyes flicked from her to King Robb who stopped behind her with his banner-man, watching her with curious eyes. He looked even more beautiful close and she wanted to run away. ''Would you be so kind to show our king and his guard to their chambers? It's the chambers we have saved for the important people.''

Mary started to fill with panic and she looked down at Lara for an escape not to be left alone. Her mother though, saw what she was doing and set her a warning look. ''Lara will be following me. We will pick out a beautiful dress for the feast. I've already picked out the dress for you, Mary.''

Mary nodded defeated and smiled tightly as her mother left with her sister behind. She only gave a glance at the dark-haired man and Robb Stark before she turned around stiffly. ''If you would come with me I will show you the way,'' she said and panicked when she didn't know what to call Robb Stark so she quickly and awkwardly added a, ''Your Grace'' after. The walk was a long and unbearable one, and she knew she was walking too briskly and fast but she couldn't help it one bit. King Robb and Greyjoy was keeping up with her fast tempo, and she thanked the Gods that they were quiet. That was before she heard King Robb's voice moments later.

''What happened with your face, Greyjoy?'' he asked, ''You got a hit in the battle?''

Mary's breathing grew shallow and she closed her eyes for Greyjoy's answer.

''You could say that,'' she heard the black-haired man grumble behind her. ''It was a hard hit coming from the beauty before us who seems to be in a great hurry. Slow it down a little, will ya?''

Mary felt her knees beginning to grow weak and she slowly turned around with a deep breath. She was surprised to see King Robb looking like he was trying hard not to laugh as his blue beautiful eyes were looking at her with humor. Gods, nowhere had she seen anything more beautiful. She had to force her green eyes to travel to the dark-haired man who was looking at her with a cocky grin. ''I would hope that you would accept my apology, my lord. You must understand that I was afraid and only saw that as my one and only solution to escape.''

Mary watched as Greyjoy opened his mouth and by the way his eyes raked down her body - she was sure that he wouldn't say anything nice or accept her sincere apology the slightest. She watched in confusion as King Robb clutched his gloved hand on Greyjoy's shoulder and tightened slightly, as if to warn him to not open his mouth, which worked as Greyjoy closed it stubbornly. The Young Wolf examined her under his blue, icy gaze. How was it even possible for an evil man to have such lovely eyes?

''Lord Greyjoy accepts the apology, my lady.'' he spoke, and Mary felt light-headed as he smiled at her. ''He's very sorry that he frightened you. But there is no need to be afraid anymore.''

_Is that so_? Mary thought quietly to herself. But she couldn't help but return the smile King Robb gave her and she nodded her head gratefully. She watched as Greyjoy didn't seem to like what his King said as he gave him a dirty look. Mary figured that the relationship between those two must be more than to a soldier and his king. They seemed like close friends or maybe even brothers. She didn't dare to ask though, and she turned around once again to show them to their chambers.

They walked in silence once again, but Mary could have sworn that she heard the cocky Greyjoy stifle a laugh and the sound of King Robb's hand swatting him over the head. She could only walk slightly faster, hoping that they were jokingly fighting about something else rather than her. She thanked the Gods when they finally arrived to one of the chambers, and what made her more glad was that it was one of the finer chambers. She stiffly turned around once again, finding it easier to look at the Greyjoy than the King. Somehow the dark-haired man's cocky grin and wandering eyes were much easier to handle than Robb Stark's beautiful blue eyes that seemed to make her stomach tingle.

''These are the biggest chambers we have.'' Mary said lightly, her eyes falling down at her fingers. ''I believe that father would want Your Grace to stay in our finest room.''

She shyly looked up at King Robb. ''Greyjoy, this seems the room for you.'' Mary filled with dread when the words hit her and she imaged how utterly uncomfortable and awkward the walk she would have to go with Robb Stark to his own room would be. She certainly didn't want to be alone with the Northman.

Greyjoy turned around and cocked his head to the side at King Robb as Mary prayed for him to insist for the King to take the room instead. ''Really?'' he asked in confusion. ''It seems to be a comfortable chamber, Your Grace.''

''There is no need for me to have such a big chamber. I believe that you would be in a greater need for it.''

''If you say so, Your Grace.'' Greyjoy spoke with a cocky smile as Mary cursed inside her head. She quietly moved out of his way as he opened the chamber-door and turned around to look at his king and Mary for one last time before he walked in. ''It's a beautiful chamber you gave up, Your Grace.'' he smirked as his dark eyes travelled from King Robb to Mary. ''But maybe you've found something more beautiful that would keep you even more comfortable,'' Mary felt her body quiver and her eyes winded as she watched the cocky man wink one last time before he walked into the big chamber.

Who the bloody hell did he think he was?

She felt her face turn hot as she heard King Robb clear his throat awkwardly. ''I'm sorry for him, my lady.'' he apologized. ''It would be a lie to tell you that he didn't mean to offend you, but I dearly apologize for the way he spoke.''

She slowly looked up and immediately caught his blue eyes. Her face was still hot, and she was sure that her face was red from the embarrassment she felt, but she shook her head with a smile. ''There is no need, Your Grace.''

She turned around and began walking towards the King's chamber, her stomach clenching from the knowledge that Robb Stark was walking beside her, and she felt him watching her. Her mother's words came back to her again and she swatted them away from her mind. She couldn't do it. She couldn't even how many times she tried to turn her head to the side and say something. She was nothing compared to this man. He was a legend, the true savior of the North. She was sure that he didn't know that she was aware of him sneakily staring at her, or the way it was making her want to run away. She licked her chapped lips and nervously focused her green eyes on their synced feet.

''Where is this chamber of mine if I may ask, my lady?''

She cleared her sore throat, trying to prevent from showing how much she was shaking from what she told herself was the cold wind and not his blue eyes. She glimpsed at him. ''It's down this hall and then left. It's not far, Your Grace.''

King Robb nodded, and Mary could practically see how his mind was working to try to find a question for him to ask her. She wasn't sure if it was pity making him ask questions, or maybe just the desire to talk to her. She just wanted him to be quite, trying to show him that by looking away.

''I've heard a lot of The Raym, even as a little boy.'' he spoke unsurely. ''I never expected it to look like this, though.''

''It looked more beautiful before-'' she stopped immediately, not wanting to offend the King or be so cruel. She watched as King Robb's blue eyes showed the slightest of pity as he figured what she was about to say. Before he destroyed everything with his cold-hearted people, was what she thought. But she smiled slightly in kindness, ''Just… before.''

He went quiet after that and Mary knew that she should be relieved but it only made her sad and she didn't know why, but she craved to talk with him again. She turned her head towards him again and opened her mouth before she could even register what she was doing.

''I've heard that the North is… cold.''

She couldn't help but smile as she watched King Robb chuckle quietly, his blue eyes once again looking at her sincerely. ''It definitely is colder than here.''

They arrived to King Robb's chamber and Mary was glad that it was before she managed to utter another embarrassing sentence. She turned around and lightly smiled at the King who was still looking at her. He was taller than her, and she had to crane her head to look up at his face. ''Here it is, Your Grace.''

King Robb looked at the door and nodded his head. ''Thank you for showing the way, my lady.''

Mary nodded slowly, and she jumped in surprise as she felt him take her hand lightly in his own, his skin against her own sending pleasant shivers down her spine. Before she knew it, King Robb bowed down and pressed a feather-light kiss against her skin. She was sure that she would faint by the way he looked up at her through his dark eyelashes and she smiled pathetically. He rose again, and his hand left hers, making her arm fall down to her side lifelessly.

''I believe that you would attend the feast, my lady?''

She was utterly embarrassed when it took quite some time for her to even process that he had spoken, and his lips curled up in humor. ''Yes, Your Grace.''

''Then I will see you soon, then.''

She nodded and when King Robb finally had closed the doors to his chamber, she let out a deep breath that she didn't even know that she had held in. She closed her green eyes for a moment, before she shook her head and began making her way to her own chamber. Even as she walked down the halls her mind was still on the auburn-haired King who had taken everything she loved away from her. He was the man she was supposed to seduce, to make him fall in love with him, and then watch him die.

Her mother. Her father. Walder Frey. Roose Bolton. Tywin Lannister - they all knew what she was supposed to do. They all knew the plan that would make the North burn down to the ground.

Everyone knew, except Mary.

The only thing Mary knew was the way King Robb made her feel under his blue gaze and the way his lips had felt against her skin. And as she walked away, lightly touching the place on her hand where Robb Stark's soft lips had been - she wondered exactly what the Gods had planned for her.

She only prayed that it didn't involve hearing the Young Wolf's cold growl.

* * *

**So, how did I do with this one? Always happy to read your reviews, you know, *wink***

**And thanks to the lovely Maddie Rose for helping me with this chapter, she's amazing :D **


	3. Hymn

**Thanks to everyone who followed/favorited/reviewed. It really warms my heart that you like this story :) Now, lets move on...**

**Ｈ Ｙ Ｍ Ｎ**

Her mother had certainly outdone herself, Mary thought to herself as she took up the light-blue linen that had been gingerly placed upon her bed. It was a beautiful dress, Mary inspected, but it was more revealing and thin than appropriate. It was long with a light color of a beauteous blue. The neckline, though, went so far down that it stopped just above the beginning of her stomach. In the blue color, there was an exquisite pattern that Mary found herself inspecting more than anything, drawing her fingers above them lightly.

As soon as she had seen the dress, Mary knew that there would be no chance that she would be comfortable in this gown. And she knew that everyone at the feast would only think of her as mad if she walked in with this thing on. She could probably go naked to the feast and they would still look at her the same way. Mary sighed deeply, trying to imagine the look on her mother's face if she was to stay in her chamber the whole feast and pretend she was ill. But the way she got scared thinking about her mother's burning eyes, she decided against it.

From the distance, from the window - she could hear people talking loudly, probably preparing for the feast that would take place in only minutes. Mary looked at the dress again, thinking to herself that this dress would only make King Robb think of her as a cheap whore more than anything else. She let out a small noise of disgust and threw the dress down at the bed again before walking over to the mirror that was placed against the wall in the corner. Her dark hair was tangled with knots and her green eyes were blurred by her tiredness, and for the first time in a long time - she looked completely fed up. She wasn't sure if it was the things her family had told her to do, or the fact that her home had been taken by the wolves.

She desperately shook her head and walked towards the small bucket of water that had been placed upon the table. She cupped her hands and dipped them into the freezing water, a small but welcome chill going through her body. She then splashed the icy water on her face, feeling satisfaction as the heat left her as she was drenched with icy water, the coldness occupying her thoughts instead of King Robb. After taking a couple of deep breaths, she dried her face and the strands of her hair that had accidentally been dipped into the water.

''Mary?''

She shrieked with fright and turned around towards the voice as fast as she could, her green eyes wide. As she saw who the intruder was, she placed her hand over her pounding heart and smiled in relief. By the door stood Darlene Mander, Mary's handmaiden and one of her closest friends since she was nothing but a child. Mary and Darlene played with each other every day when they were children because Darlene's father was Mary's father's closest guard. When they got older though, Darlene insisted that she needed to work and she told her that it would be a dream to work for Mary. Mary couldn't deny that it indeed was a good and easy job for her friend, they basically just talked with each other either way, and Darlene happily told Mary that she _wanted_ to brush her hair and actually do necessary things for her.

Darlene was a raven-haired girl with a long face and big blue eyes. She was slightly taller than Mary herself, with freckles across her nose and hair chopped off to just above her shoulders. She was a plain looking girl, but she was indeed a pretty sight for a boy's eye. Mary's green eyes drifted down to Darlene's swelled stomach, thinking that her friend would soon carry a child in her arms. Darlene was a woman of ten and seven, with a husband working for her father as a soldier. Her eyes flickered up to Darlene's blue eyes again and she watched as her friend had a small, amused smile upon her lips.

''I deeply apologize for scaring you, Mars.'' she smiled before she walked into the room, closing the door softly behind her. When she turned around to Mary her eyes immediately travelled to the dress still lying on the bed's sheets. A look of confusion entered her eyes. ''Why haven't you put on your dress yet? Lady Tenshi will be awfully angry,'' she quickly walked to the dress and picked it up before she turned around to Mary who was still standing by the table, looking at her friend's reaction with a pale face. ''The feast has already begun and I thought your presence was there. Everyone is there, Mary. _King Robb_ is there. Why are you sulking around here?''

Mary swallowed thickly. Darlene didn't have a clue about what she was to do, and she felt like her tongue had caught in her mouth. If she could trust someone, it was Darlene. They had shared a lot of secrets over the years, secrets that had reached no one's ears except theirs. But she knew that Darlene would only think of her as a monster, as Mary did herself. All over the years they have known each other; love had always been a great topic.

Mary had never loved any boy or even felt attracted to someone, she only listened to the stories Darlene told of Aleksie, who in time became her husband. Aleksie was a great man, Mary knew this. He always knew the way to make Mary smile and he was amazing with his jokes and wit. Mary could see how Darlene fell into his arms, and she wished that she would stay there until the end of time. They were perfect for each other, and she remembered the way Darlene's face had lightened when she first came to Mary and told her of the child that was growing within her.

It was killing her to stand there with such a dark secret and not being able to tell the only one she wanted to tell. She looked at her friend, seeing Darlene waiting for an answer to her question. What was Mary supposed to say? - 'I don't want to attend because my mother and father want me to seduce King Robb, and then they want me to watch as Walder Frey kills him before my very eyes.' Just at the thought, her eyes began to burn and she could feel her throat tightening to the point where she had to focus on breathing correctly.

''I just,'' Mary tried pathetically, feeling her eyes starting to fill with unshed tears. She heard that Darlene moved closer to her with a quick pace, and before she knew it comforting hands took her own and squeezed. She looked at Darlene through her blurry vision, and she knew that she couldn't tell her even if she wanted. If something happened, if the wolves found out - every person who knew this would be dead and gone. She thought about Aleksie and Darlene's child and how the thought about it being in this world without its mother brought tears to her eyes. She wouldn't tell Darlene about this. This child needed its mother. So she managed a small smile that she knew wasn't that convincing, Darlene has known her ever since she was a child; she knew when Mary was upset and when she wasn't. ''I just.. The Raym has always been our home and now.. They took it.'' She lied, pretending to be upset by that fact instead. It hurt her dearly, and she knew that Darlene would believe her.

Darlene's blue eyes softened and she squeezed Mary's hand once again. ''I know, Mars.'' she said sadly. ''But The Young Wolf seems like he wouldn't hurt any innocent. I believe that it's better to be a hostage to him rather than Stannis Baratheon.''

That just made Mary even sadder. She didn't need to hear how merciful and kind King Robb had been towards them. She brushed the tears away from her face and gave a nod. ''I believe you're right.''

''Now, put on that beautiful dress and go down to the feast,'' Darlene smiled. ''The Northerners may take it as an insult if you don't attend.''

Once again, Mary nodded with a small smile on her face. She put on the light-blue dress that felt completely wrong and inappropriate against her skin. As she had predicted the neckline on the dress was low, stopping under her ribcage and Mary frowned at what she was in the mirror. Her mother had definitely made sure that her breasts were to be seen, and it left a little to the imagination. The silk was soft, but the wind made her cold and she knew that her mother wouldn't allow her to put on something over the dress. She watched in the mirror as Darlene came back into her chamber after leaving for her privacy. When Darlene saw what Mary was wearing her blue eyes winded and her mouth gaped.

''Gods, Mary.'' She said in surprise.

Mary inspected the blue dress carefully. ''It really is despicable, isn't it?''

Darlene laughed at that. ''No, Mary. It's beautiful and…'' she suddenly stopped and looked at the dress, only making Mary blush and cross her arms against her chest. If she couldn't even stand _Darlene's_ eyes upon her, how in the seven hells was she going to show herself to King Robb? It was just not possible. ''And it's definitely daring.''

Mary rolled her eyes at her friend's lack of response. ''You could have just said that I look like a whore.''

Darlene laughed hard, only making Mary glare at her more dangerously. ''No, no.'' she assured her as she laughed still, shaking her head. ''Wait, did Lady Tenshi pick that dress for you?''

''Yes,'' Mary said unsurely.

''Wait,'' Darlene said quickly, a mischievous smirk covering her lips. ''I think your mother is trying to make you a queen, Mary. Maybe even Queen in the North.''

Mary's heart dropped to her stomach and she looked at Darlene with big, widened eyes. For a moment she was sure that Darlene had figured it all out. That she knew everything, and Mary felt like she would empty her stomach all over her friend because of the way her stomach started to hurt. But then Mary saw Darlene's smile said the very opposite. She thought that her mother did this just because she wanted Mary to be a true Queen in the North, and Mary quickly shook her head.

''It's not like that at all,'' Mary tried but Darlene had still that damned smile attached to her lips.

''You should think of yourself as lucky, Mary.'' Darlene smirked, ''Robb Stark is _very_ handsome. I thought it was impossible though, for a bearded barbarian to look like that,'' Mary watched as Darlene shrugged, a teasing smile on her face. They did this often, teased each other senseless. But Darlene didn't know the seriousness in the situation and the way it was hurting Mary to the core to even talk about the auburn-haired King. Mary turned her back to Darlene and immediately closed her eyes, taking deep breaths as if to calm down the burning tears that fought to well up in her eyes.

''Let me do your hair.'' Darlene softly said and before Mary knew it she was sitting down on the chair and Darlene's fingers had begun doing small braids in her hair. To her relief, in the time her friend did her hair - she managed to calm down from her brimming tears and she began to think about Lara and how she needed to do this for her family. So when Darlene announced that she was done, Mary looked at herself in the mirror and saw that she had done an amazing job. Her long dark hair was down in small delicate curls, reaching her lower back. Her front hair had been set up in two braids colliding together at the back of her head, making the braid look like a halo around her head. It was indeed beautiful, and she smiled thankfully at Darlene who looked proud of her work.

''I think you're done to go, Mars.'' Darlene smiled brightly. ''The feast has already began and I'm sure that your father and mother is very worried about you.''

_I believe that they are more worried that King Robb is going to find some other girl to settle his eyes upon_, Mary thought grumpily but nodded her head for Darlene to see. If she was going to go down to the feast it had to be now. She couldn't hide in her room forever no matter how much she wished that she could, she had to be brave now. Mary smiled a weak smile at Darlene in the mirror and rose from the chair. She slowly dusted the dress off even though she knew that there was nothing dirty on it. She guessed she did everything to win time. She looked up at her friend again, meeting Darlene's smug smile.

''Would you like to accompany me?''

Darlene shook head. ''No. I'm going to clean you room, and then I will go and find Aleksie. If he wants to greet the King, and I do believe that he will - I will see you there.''

''If that's what you want.'' Mary smiled, leaning forward and hugging her friend close. She held onto Darlene and enjoyed the warmth her friend's embrace gave her. She smiled slightly as she felt Darlene's swollen stomach getting in the way, and they quietly giggled. ''Give Aleksie my love, if I won't be able to speak with him tonight.''

''The same goes for you and little Lara.'' Darlene said as she let Mary go from her embrace, she took a hold on her arms though, and held her there as she spoke, ''Now, I won't keep you longer, go down to the feast and show Robb Stark that southern women are so much more beautiful than the cold ones he has known.''

Mary rolled her eyes in a joking matter. ''Sometimes I wonder exactly what Aleksie sees in you, my friend.''

''It's probably my southern blood, Mars.'' Darlene giggled.

''Well, It's definitely not that big mouth of yours.'' Mary laughed, and Darlene gasped in a playful manner, softly swatting her friend on the arm. Without Darlene, Mary didn't know what she would have done. Darlene was the one who taught her everything, and she would always be in debt for her friend for showing her what true friendship was. Even little Lara was jealous of Darlene and said that Mary acted like Darlene was a sister to her and not her. But it was different, Darlene _was _a sister to Mary, not by blood - but with something unspoken and true.

''Go down now, Mary. I won't tell you once more.''

''As you command, _mother_.'' Mary smiled, but she took one last look in the mirror. She was met by a woman who held a dark secret and a bloody faith. The green eyes were frightened, but there was a thick layer of denial over it - so it barely was seen. She quickly shook her head, and began walking towards the door, and left with a small goodbye to Darlene who had already began to clean her chamber. As Mary walked down the hall, she could hear the faint laughs and shouts from the feast, and her stomach knotted painfully. Her dress was almost painful to walk in, and she got the huge desire to cover herself up, but she knew that she wasn't allowed to do so. It wasn't as tight as her other dresses, but it showed so much more and she was frightened by the way she was so uncovered.

Even at young age, she had learned from her Septa Sandra that a lady wasn't supposed to act a certain way to lead boys and men in the wrong direction. They were supposed to act like a lady and make men want to wed them. And they would _certainly_ not give their maidenhead to someone else except their husband. If they did that - they would more likely be disgraced from their homes and live on the cold streets and do unspeakable things to live. And that was exactly what she was going to do now? Wasn't it? She was supposed to act like that, and she was supposed to make The Young Wolf fall in love with her. She was supposed to do exactly what she had learned was forbidden, and her own mother and father had brought her that fate. She wondered if she would meet her mother's fury as she walked in through those doors, or even her father's. She was quite late, and she knew her mother and father were very picky with showing up exactly at time.

As she was close to the doors, she heard men's voices and instantly stopped walking just to quietly tiptoe to the corner and watch men guarding by the door. As Mary inspected the two men carefully at a distance, she looked at their leather clothes and the shaggy beards they all had. In their hands were swords so sharp that it made her heart pound faster, and Mary felt herself growing cold. She supposed that King Robb had commanded several of his men to guard the castle if someone was to escape, or if anyone was to come in. Was her house so mistrusted that he had to do that? As if the Lannisters would march into The Raym to save them from the wolves. Mary wanted to laugh in humor. It hadn't taken her so long to understand that the Lannisters only cared about themselves, and themselves alone.

She nervously bit her bottom-lip without thinking and eyed the men that were laughing about something she did not know. She knew that she would have to talk with those gruff men to come into the feast in her own castle. So without grumbling much over it, she began walking to them as if she didn't care much that they had swords that could kill her within a second. Mary for a second feared that the wolves could read her thoughts, that they would know exactly what she was supposed to do - and she stilled slightly in her movements, wanting to run away. Just when she was about to do so, she watched as one of the men with black, long hair caught her movement and she swallowed thickly before she started to move her feet again like she had never haltered. She wanted to empty her stomach as she saw the men's eyes inspecting her body in a disgusting way, a smirk playing on their lips. Mary briefly felt that she was not to be played around. She was a Tenshi, and she would not let them treat her like nobody.

''Hello, sweetie.'' The black-haired men evilly smiled, his teeth surprisingly yellow. ''Lost?''

Mary's green eyes narrowed. ''No, I don't think I am.'' she said. ''I am to attend the feast, that would be if you moved so that I could go in.''

Mary felt herself growing cold as they only laughed at her. She watched with a stubborn, raised head as the black-haired man leaned against the door as if to say that she wouldn't be going anywhere. The light-haired one on his right smirked dangerously at her and she told herself not to be frightened.

''That's a pretty dress,'' the black-haired man smirked, completely ignoring her request, ''For a pretty lady.'' the light-haired man continued with the same disgusting smirk placed upon his lips.

Mary's lips tightened and her mind worked to find something to say. She opened her mouth wide when the perfect remark came to her, but when she heard footsteps behind her, her voice died and she turned around with shock. She saw the Greyjoy that she had hit before with a steel-bar coming up to them, a light smirk playing on his lips. Mary felt her stomach clenching again so uncomfortably as he stopped beside her, looking at her and the guards in light surprise, like the situation she was in amused him.

Mary inspected him for a moment, and she saw that he was lean, with dark shoulder-length hair. His eyes were brown, but as dark as the night. He was handsome though. He didn't look older than twenty name-days, maybe younger. He was definitely older than King Robb. It hit Mary that this must be Balon Greyjoy's only living son; Theon Greyjoy. Mary had read in the history books The Raym's library had, that Eddard Stark had taken Balon Greyjoy's last remaining son home to Winterfell as a ward. This must be him, Mary thought. She had herself heard both Roose Bolton and Robb Stark call him 'Grejoy'. She drifted back to reality as she heard Theon Greyjoy speak.

''Is there any trouble here?'' He grinned.

The dark-haired guard rolled his eyes. ''What do you want, Greyjoy?'' he darkly snarled. ''Didn't you leave with that big-breasted girl just before? Already done with her and now you want this little one? You're not the one who's been standing here, _guarding_, when everyone else is drinking ale and fucking. She's mine tonight, you can have her in the morning.''

Mary widened her eyes at his filthy words, not really believing that he just uttered those words. Her big green eyes turned to confusion as she heard the Greyjoy's loud laughter. She watched as the Ironborn man laughed loudly at the guards before he managed to contain himself, and his dark eyes found the two Stark banner-men who looked as confused as Mary.

''This 'little girl' right here,'' Theon Greyjoy laughed, pointing a finger at Mary. ''Is Mary Tenshi; the eldest daughter of Marken Tenshi, whose feast you so kindly said you wanted to attend, and whose chambers you are sleeping in. I don't think he takes well to those who says they want to fuck his daughter and throw her away the day after.''

Mary watched with a strange amusement as the guards' smirks were wiped away from their faces and they looked at Mary in recognition. They gave the Greyjoy dirty looks, and moved away from the doors. Mary didn't waste any time and instead began walking towards the doors and opened them to be met by the smell of food, wine and ale. She watched with a smile as the people danced, even though under the circumstances. She saw people sitting by the tables, mouth-watering food placed upon it. Laughter was to be heard and Mary wondered exactly how everyone could have forgotten about the way the wolves were to kill them only hours before. Theon Greyjoy, who walked by her side must have sensed what she was thinking of, because he smirked at her.

''Surprise. The wolves and the birds really could make friends,'' he said. ''Who could have thought?''

''_Friends_?'' Mary laughed without humor. ''Is that what you call it, Greyjoy?''

''Well, it's better to dance and laugh than to kill and bury, isn't it, Tenshi?''

Mary turned her body towards him, her eyebrows raising in disbelief. ''Would you really had buried us?''

Theon Greyjoy met her eyes. ''Probably not,'' he said, his lips curling up in a small smirk.

Mary shook her head before walking into the crowd, leaving the smiling Greyjoy behind her. Her goal was to find Lara first, and she knew that if she was to see Lara's smiles, she was to see her mother's fury. She carefully walked through the dancing people, declining the people who to grab her hand and dance with her. Before she knew it, she had finally made it to the tables placed upon the higher floor, where everyone important were sitting.

She watched as her father was placed furthest out by the table. His dark hair had been styled back, and his tunic was blue with the Tenshi sigil on. Her mother sat beside him with her own blue dress, her hair glowing beautifully against her back. Mary smiled slightly as she saw Lara sitting and talking with King Robb a few seats away. Mary watches as her sister's brown eyes were shining with excitement as she listened intensely on something Robb Stark said. Mary swallowed thickly as her green eyes watched King Robb who had been placed between Roose Bolton and an empty chair who Mary knew was to be hers. Her mother had certainly had everything planned. She closed her eyes for a second, before finally opening them again and making her way over to them. Her eyes were on Lara, who surprisingly noticed her first.

''Mary!'' Lara laughed, leaping away from the chair and running into Mary's open arms. ''What took you so long?''

Mary quickly looked up to see that her mother, father, Roose Bolton, and Robb Stark's eyes were on her. She took Lara's small hand into her own, for support she knew, and smiled reassuringly. ''I didn't feel so well before, but I feel better now.''

Lara nodded quickly. ''You've missed so much fun, Mary.''

Mary smiled gently at her sister who took her hand into her smaller one, and began leading her to the table. As Mary arrived, she winced inside as she heard her mother stand up, softly making her way over to her. Before she knew it, her mother stood before her, and Mary was surprised to see Ilara Tenshi smile softly at her. She locked hands with her daughter, and lovingly kissed her daughter's chin in greeting.

''Mary, I believe that you feel better?'' She smiled ''You don't want me to fetch Maester Aaron?''

Mary furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, but shook her head numbly. ''No. I'm fine now, mother.''

''Good,'' Ilana Tenshi smiled. ''We've left you a seat in case you would come, and you did.''

Mary nodded before her eyes travelled to the empty chair between Lara and King Robb, and her eyes accidentally found the auburn-haired King who seemed to have trouble in not looking at her, his blue eyes travelling to her every few seconds. Mary swallowed before making her way over to her chair, lightly tracing her hand in Lara's brown hair as she did so. She stiffly sat down beside King Robb, her green eyes focusing on the empty plate before her. She for a split second wondered if she should say something, just a small greeting - but her tongue had twisted and she had trouble even thinking of something. She nervously and slowly let her green eyes drift to her left, seeing Robb Stark's hand clenching his goblet with wine, and she wondered why. Her green eyes flicked upwards and a shock wave went through her as she was met with his blue eyes that was already staring at her. She opened her mouth to greet him, but before she could utter a word she jumped when she heard a voice coming from her right.

''Robb,'' Lara smiled, and Mary wanted to scold her for not using titles but by the way he didn't seem to mind, she didn't say anything. ''Tell me more about Winterfell.'' Mary smiled as her sister almost jumped by excitement in her chair and Mary's eyes watched as The King began to speak.

''What would you more like to hear?''

''Have you ever seen a giant?'' Lara asked curiously. ''I've heard stories about giants.''

''Well, no.'' Robb Stark sighed with a smile, and Lara adorably pouted in sadness. ''But there is a half-giant who actually lives in Winterfell.''

Both Mary and Robb chuckled as Lara's smile grew again ''Really?'' She said excitedly. ''Have you spoken with him? Is he nice? Are you close friends?''

''Lara,'' Mary laughed lightly. ''Let King Robb breath.''

''It's fine, my lady.'' Robb Stark promised, his blue eyes watching her. ''We're not certain of his name, but in my whole life; I've only heard him say 'Hodor', so that's what we call him. I believe that he is friends with everyone. He is a kind and loyal man.''

As Robb Stark talked with Lara, Mary inspected him sneakily from the corner of her eye. He wore a dark-grey doublet with a white direwolf on the breast, and breeches that were dark as the night. A long thick cloak of grey, the color of his house - was clothed around his broad shoulders. Mary also noticed the crown on his head that was of silver, coming up in points with pearls on the tips. It was indeed a beautiful crown, and it reminded her so much of winter that she was almost sure that it was made of ice. It made him look older, and it looked uncomfortably heavy. His auburn hair was in beautiful curls and his blue eyes was the same color as cold ice, but as beautiful and breathtaking as the ocean. And as he spoke of his home, they seemed to change color to the heaven above them with the stars twinkling, if that was even possible. She must have looked longer and less sneakily than she thought, because before she knew it Lara had wanted to dance and left them alone - and Robb Stark's blue eyes had caught hers staring. She opened her mouth in a poor way to say an excuse, but he had caught her and it would only be more humiliated to try and deny it.

''Did you not feel well earlier, my lady?''

She was shocked when he spoke but quickly caught her tongue. ''No. My head was in pain, but I'm well now.''

''That's good.'' Robb Stark said, sipping the wine in his goblet.

They fell quiet again and Mary tried to find something to say. ''I apologize for my sister, she can be quite the talker when she's excited.''

Robb Stark only shook his head and smiled, his blue eyes once again connecting with her green. ''No, there is no need. She reminds me of my own siblings.''

''Two sisters and two brothers,'' Mary said quietly, not knowing that she spoke out loud. She saw Robb Stark's head snap to her and his blue eyes were questioning. She was loss at words, not knowing if she offended the King by talking about his family or not, but by the way that he was just looking at her she couldn't tell. She quickly took the goblet that was placed in front of her and poured herself some red wine before taking a small sip, knowing that she would have to drink something to deal with the King's blue eyes. ''I've read about it.'' she tried in a poor way. ''You have two brothers and two sisters, correct?''

''Three brothers,'' King Robb said with the slightest hint of coldness and Mary looked at him with big eyes. ''My father's son Jon Snow.''

Eddard Stark's bastard son Jon Snow, Mary indeed remembered that. She remember her mother and father talking about that it was a huge surprise when the honorable Eddard Stark took home a baby home to his wife, the baby that he had fathered but not with his wife. Mary was surprised to see that Robb Stark seemed to care about his bastard brother as much as he did, not many brothers would have. So she nodded stiffly, cursing herself for offending the King. She felt a lump forming in her throat and she sipped on the wine once again, her eyes trying to find something else to focus about. She was surprised when she heard a deep sigh from the King on her left and she worriedly looked back to see him looking at her with regret.

''I'm so sorry, my lady.'' He apologized sincerely. ''It's just difficult to speak of a family I have trouble finding again. I didn't mean to be cold to you, you were only kind and I had no right.''

Mary watched his blue, sad eyes and she felt pity for the young King. ''I understand, Your Grace.'' she said softly. ''I will pray that you will find them once again.''

King Robb's eyes changed to a strange blue, and he looked at her with a gaze that made her twitch in her seat, she was not sure if it was good or bad. Time seemed to strangely freeze as the young King searched for something in her face. Finally, a small smile was born upon his lips and Mary started breathing again by relief.

''You are too kind, my lady.''

_You have no idea how wrong you are Robb Stark_, Mary thought to herself as she took a big gulp of her wine, for once enjoying the sour taste upon her tongue. She had never been fond of drinking wine, ever. But now she actually felt a wave of satisfaction as it went down her throat and into her system. She wanted to forget about Robb Stark and everything. She wanted him to think of her as boring, and to stop talking with her, everything would be so much easier if he could just walk away. She found herself praying for him to finally leave The Raym. She was vaguely aware of being watched by the wolf as she drank a glass more, and then another, and then another until she became giggling and tipsy. Her eyes were fixed on her younger sister who had, surprisingly, managed to not fall asleep as she talked with a girl in her own age that Mary remembered as Sanna Loyle, who's mother worked in the garden. Mary giggled quietly as she watched her sister take Sanna's hands in her own as they started to dance like the two little careless girls they were.

''I've heard that you southerners are supposed to be great dancers.'' Mary suddenly heard King Robb say, and for the quiet volume of his voice - Mary knew that he was speaking with her and only her. She knew she should feel sad as he obviously wanted to speak with her, but she actually enjoyed hearing the wolf's voice, and he actually sounded nervous to her. Maybe it was the wine saying it to her, but she could hear a faint whisper inside her head telling her that Robb Stark was indeed nervous of speaking with her - and she had never felt as delighted before.

''Then Your Grace has heard right,'' Mary smiled, her eyes still focused on the young girls laughing. She was quiet for a moment, afraid that if she opened her mouth again she would be storming into a conversation with the King, and then it was almost bound to that something bad or insulting would come out from her mouth - like before. She was afraid that she would upset him, but she still craved to speak with him.

''Are you north-men good with your feet?'' Mary asked lightly, her green eyes finally travelling to Robb Stark on her left, only to see as the King awkwardly diverted his icy gaze from her, and Mary smiled as she caught _him_ staring at _her_ this time.

''I'm afraid I'm not the best of dancers.'' King Robb admitted with a shrug of his tense shoulders. ''I have trouble keeping my feet from crushing my partners.'' He seemed to be in a daze for a second, and Mary smiled as she watched the King smile as if he remembered something he loved. ''My sister Sansa, she had to wear this thick slippers as we trained, she was indeed patient - but I was impossible, unfortunately I still am.''

Mary couldn't help but let out a small laugh as she imagined a younger Robb Stark clumsily crushing his sister's feet. She quickly remembered herself and covered her mouth, knowing that she had laughed _at_ him. But when Robb Stark's blue eyes that were full of humor watched her, she immediately relaxed and took away her hand, showing the smile he put on her lips.

''Somehow I doubt the negative remarks you give yourself, Your Grace.'' Mary smiled.

Robb Stark shook his head with a chuckle, his blue eyes locking with her green. ''I'm terrible.''

They both chuckled, and Mary looked at the wolf once again, and she fell silent of a reason she did not know. Robb Stark did the same, and Mary could almost see his blue eyes scanning her face. Mary wasn't sure if it was the wine that made her so light-headed and stupid, or if it was Robb Stark's beautiful smile and eyes' fault. But before she knew it, she had raised herself up from the chair, fully noticing that The King in the North's eyes travelled down her body by instinct, and even though she got the desire to cover herself up from his gazing eyes, she didn't.

Instead she smiled coyly. ''If my King was to regret his decision, I will be yours to take.''

She walked away before he could see her reddened cheeks and her deep inhale of breath. As she walked down to the dance-floor, her mind screamed at her to not be that imprudent. Her stomach clenched in pain as she knew that she had begun seducing Robb Stark exactly as everyone had told her to, and she felt numb. As on cue, her green eyes met her mother who still sat beside her father as beautiful and exquisite as always. As Mary met her mother's eyes she saw her Ilana Tenshi's thin lips curling up into a satisfied snarl. Mary should have known that her mother had inspected every move she and Robb Stark had made this night, and by her look - she was pleased by her daughter.

Mary quickly shook her head and walked further out onto the dancing-floor, somehow managing to forget about her mother's evil grin as she watched the laughing people around her. Around the dancing folk, her green eyes found Lara and Sanna who swirled around like two mad girls. Mary smiled lightly, and as if on cue - a hand took her own and she let out a laugh as she was swirled around in time with the music around them. She thanked the man she danced with a kiss on his cheek as the long song ended, and she watched as the unknown man walked away. Not long after, the flutes and drums started to play another song and Mary swayed around herself in the middle of the dance-floor. She was giddy by the wine, and she swirled around again.

And then she was there again. She was back at the feast when everyone in The Raym were not held captive, when her father was laughing from his seat, when Mary didn't know how her mother's mind worked, when she could hear Lara's laughter - When the wolves hadn't destroyed everything.

And she was swirling around and around until she couldn't bear it any longer.

Just when she was about to give up and fall down on the floor from her dizziness - a warm hand claimed her own and a strong, firm hand found her waist. She dreamily and slowly opened her eyes to be met by those blue ones she still didn't know how to feel about. The Young Wolf stood before her with a strange look upon his face, and Mary wasn't sure if she was dreaming or not. She had to squeeze his hand to be certain that it was indeed reality, and when she felt Robb Stark squeeze back as lightly as she had, a smile came upon her lips.

''You changed your mind, Your Grace.''

They danced across the floor, and Mary uncontrollably shivered as she felt Robb Stark's hand against her thin dress. The dress being as thin as it was, she could feel his skin upon hers, and she knew that it felt the same as it would have done if she wouldn't have had a dress on. King Robb must have thought so too for Mary could feel his hands getting warmer against the fabric of her dress.

''I did.''

Mary looked as King Robb strongly focused on his feet, careful not to step on her own. He was adorably careful in his movements, and Mary almost wanted to laugh at how cautious he was.

''I believe that I was right,'' Her voice had him looking up from his feet and at her, his eyes questioning. ''You are not a terrible dancer. You haven't stepped on my feet even once.''

As on cue, his footsteps stumbled and his brown boot accidentally stepped on her feet. She gasped, but it didn't hurt. She only shook her head and quietly laughed in response as King Robb froze in his movements, murmuring ''I'm sorry'' and ''I told you, my lady''. Instead Mary took his hand that had left it's place against her waist and settled it straight again, the bold movement she made making her face feel hotter. She had no idea why her skin had gotten colder without his hand placed there, but it had and she didn't want to feel it again. King Robb did not argue.

As Mary heard the song that was played she smiled a toothy-smile. ''I love this song.''

King Robb was quite, and Mary knew that he was listening to the song. Finally, he smiled too. ''The Bear and the Maiden Fair?'' The young King grinned. ''I wonder how many times I've listened to this.''

''It doesn't matter how many times, Your Grace.'' Mary whispered. ''I still think it's as beautiful as the first time I heard it.''

_Oh! sweet she was and pure and fair, the maid with honey, in her hair! / Her hair, The maid with honey, in her hair! / The bear smelled the scent, on the summer air! / The Bear! The Bear! All black and brown, and covered with hair! / He smelled the scent, on the summer air. / He sniffed and roared, and smelled it there! Honey on the summer air!_

Mary hadn't even registered that she had been singing with the song's tune, and that Robb Stark had gripped her waist tighter in his arms and scooted her closer to his chest, so close that her own heaving chest was touching his own. In response, she tightened her hand on The Young Wolf's shoulder, the grey fabric feeling soft and nice against her hands. They were too close, Mary knew, they shouldn't be this close - but she wouldn't push him away for anything in the world. His icy eyes were burning her, and his hand on her lower-back was making her legs feel weaker. Mary felt the tingling sensation in her stomach, and she dizzily watched as Robb Stark's gaze glanced down at her lips, and she would have given anything to know what he was thinking then. She barely felt his hand slowly sneaking down and her breath grew shallow, tightening her grip on him even more. The young King must have remembered himself because he awkwardly cleared his throat and stepped away from her as if she had burned him. His eyes looked down at their feet instead, and he gave their bodies some space.

''Forgive me, my lady.'' Robb Stark spoke tensely, releasing her and moving three long steps away from her with his long legs. Mary saw that he was angry by the way he carried himself and warily looked around the room, making a strange lump form in her throat. He was not angry with her though, he was angry at himself. It was clear in his movements. ''I should not have done that.''

She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. If someone was to apologize she knew that it should be her. He wasn't the one who had offended her sibling, he wasn't the one who had been drinking the whole goblet of wine right in front of her, he wasn't the one who had dared her to dance with him - and then seduce her when they did. She was the one who should be angry at herself, not Robb Stark.

Even though no words came out from the gaping mouth, King Robb seemed not to want anything in return. It looked like all he wanted was to get as far away from her as possible. Mary watched as he looked around the room again, like he expected someone to be there and judge him for dancing with her. Finally, his blue eyes travelled back to her and his lips turned into a thin line.

''Thank you, my lady.'' he spoke stiffly. ''I think it's time for me to return to my chamber.''

He didn't wait for her reply, only turned around with his tall frame and walked away from her briskly, leaving Mary looking after him. She was left with the same dancing people, the same joyful laughs - but instead of the amazing feeling she had when the auburn-haired King danced with her - she felt miserable and cold.

She may not have wanted Robb Stark to think of her as that way ever, but she couldn't deny that it hurt watching him walk away from her.

* * *

**Don't forget to drop in a little review :D**

**Thanks to the amazing Maddie Rose for helping me with this story! I seriously can't thank her enough :) **

**Until next time - _holdinghisheart _**


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